The Pilgrims left England trying to flee the strict religious rule of King James I. Finally in 1607, some of the Pilgrims fled to Leyden, Holland, a country noted for their religious tolerance.

After living in Leyden for 13 years, the Pilgrims boarded the Speedwell and sailed to Southampton, England to meet up with others that were fleeing for various reasons. The English group were to sail on the Mayflower, bound for the New World.

The two ships set sail in July but unfortunately, the Speedwell developed problems, which prevented her from continuing the trip so both ships returned to port at Plymouth, England. Only the Mayflower began the historic voyage on Sept. 6, 1620, with 102 passengers and a crew about 30. However the unseaworthiness of the Speedwell had caused the Pilgrims a costly delay. Their July starting was moved to September and crossing the Atlantic in September could be treacherous.

Here are the names of the Mayflower passengers: John Alden, Isaac and Mary (Norris) Allerton and children, Bartholomew, Remember and Mary, John Allerton, John and Eleanor Billington and sons John and Francis, William and Dorothy Bradford, William and Mary Brewster and children Love and Wresting, Richard Britteridge, Peter Browne, William Butten, Robert Carter, John and Katherine Carver, James and Mrs. Chilton and daughter, Mary, Richard Clarke, Francis Cooke and son John, Humility Cooper, John Crackstone and son Jon, Edward Doty, Francis and Sarah Eaton and son Samuel, Thomas English, Moses Fletcher, Edward and Mrs. Fuller and son Samuel, Samuel Fuller, Richard Gardener, John Langmore, William Latham, Edward Leister, Edmund Margesson, Christopher and Mary Martin, Desire Minter, Ellen, Jasper, Richard and Mary More, William and Alice Mullins and children Priscilla and Joseph, Degory Priest, Solomon Prower, John and Alice Rigsdale, Thomas Rogers and son Joseph, Henry Samson, George Soule, Myles and Rose Standish, Elias Story, Edward Thompson, Edward and Agnes Tilley, John and Joan Tilley and daughter Elizabeth, Thomas and Mrs. Tinker and a son, William Trevore, John Turner and two sons, Richard Warren, William and Susanna White and son Resolved, John Goodman, William Holbeck, John Hooke, Stephen and Elizabeth Hopkins and children Constance, Giles and Damaris; son Oceanus was born during the voyage, John Howland, (son Peregrine was born shipboard in Provincetown Harbor after arrival, Roger Wilder, Thomas Williams, Edward and Elizabeth Winslow, Gilbert Winslow, Mr. Ely and Dorothy (Hohn Carver’s maidservant).

After 66 days at sea, the Pilgrims landed at a place we now know as Cape Cod, Massachusetts. This was not the place they intended to land but a storm blew the Mayflower off its intended course which was to take them to the Virginia Colony. Soon they left Cape Cod and found a more suitable place on Dec. 21, 1620; they stepped ashore at a place we now call Plymouth, Massachusetts.

My ancestors, Edward and Ann Fuller, died the first winter; their son Samuel survived and was raised by his Uncle Dr. Samuel Fuller. I am the 12th generation; the 9th and 10th generation settled in Pittsville in 1890.

This Thanksgiving as we give thanks, let’s remember the sacrifice of the Pilgrims as they celebrated almost 400 years ago.